{"id":165222,"date":"2024-09-20T12:47:08","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T16:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=165222"},"modified":"2025-06-02T13:07:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T17:07:52","slug":"skills-surprises-and-epiphanies-bates-students-talk-about-their-summer-internships-work-and-academic-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/20\/skills-surprises-and-epiphanies-bates-students-talk-about-their-summer-internships-work-and-academic-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Part I: Skills, surprises, and epiphanies when Bates students talk about their summer experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For some Bates students, summer 2024 meant adding skills. Avery Lehman \u201925, for example, is an accomplished photographer, but didn\u2019t know much about the business side of the art world \u2014 until her Purposeful Work internship at a New York City art gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For others, summer meant feeling accepted into the world of business. Johnny Nunez \u201926 felt \u201ceveryone’s extraordinary kindness and willingness to help\u201d during his Purposeful Work internship with an investment firm in New York City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This past summer, Bates offered 128 Purposeful Work internships in 18 states, the District of Columbia, and seven countries outside the U.S. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Economics
Economics major Johnny Nunez \u201826 had a Purposeful Work internship at HPS Investment Partners in New York City. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another five dozen students did funded research on campus with Bates professors across academic disciplines (14 in all) or had off-campus academic internships. And even more students held internships with community organizations through Bates’ Harward Center for Community Partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Part I of our stories about Bates students with college-supported summer experiences, we check in with eight students whose work took them outside of Maine, to businesses and organizations from Boston to Santa Barbara, Calif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018I was super intimidated at first, since I felt a little out of my element\u2019 \u2014 Eileen Dockery \u201926<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The place<\/strong>: Asian American Arts Alliance (4A)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The job<\/strong>: During her Purposeful Work internship at 4A, Dockery, an environmental studies major from Rye, N.Y., was invited to lead a project to produce a short video highlighting work by artists in the Bandung Residency<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Environmental
Eileen Dockery \u201926 had a Purposeful Work internship at the Asian American Arts Alliance in New York City. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The video project tested her. \u201cI was worried about the outcome, but I learned that I just needed to trust the process and have confidence in my own skills,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quote<\/strong>: \u201cThe internship gave me the chance to explore my own interests while contributing in a meaningful way by helping artists and activists realize their projects. The arts community has had such a positive impact on my life, and it\u2019s really nice to be able to spread the love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018People are more than willing to help\u2019 \u2014 Aydan Gedeon-Hope \u201925<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The place<\/strong>: MLS Next Pro league offices in New York City<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The job<\/strong>: Gedeon-Hope, an interdisciplinary studies major from Norton, Mass., was a Purposeful Work intern at MLS NEXT Pro, a Major League Soccer feeder program that provides a competitive platform for developing young players and a pathway to professional soccer\u2019s highest levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"We
Aydan Gedeon-Hope \u201925 had a Purposeful Work internship at MLS Next Pro league offices in New York City. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Gedeon-Hope said he was able \u201cto learn, surrounded by smart and accomplished individuals.\u201d It took time to seize the opportunity to do some networking, but he was quickly and pleasantly surprised by how \u201cnearly everyone responded and agreed to meet me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gedeon-Hope\u2019s interdisciplinary studies major combines interests in marketing, management, and the social sciences with a focus on sports. (He is a two-sport Bates athlete, in basketball and track and field.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt NEXT Pro, even though you work in a specific department, many projects and presentations require knowledge beyond your specialization,\u201d he said. \u201cThe liberal arts helps students gain a broad understanding of multiple subjects rather than just focusing on one area.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quote<\/strong>: \u201cI gained a deeper appreciation for my interdisciplinary journey because of this experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018Purposeful work is finding and exploring new interests\u2019 \u2014 Aasya Patel \u201926<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The place<\/strong>: Wolfe Research in New York City<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The job:<\/strong> Patel, an economics major with a mathematics minor from Indore, India, was a Purposeful Work intern at Wolfe Research in midtown Manhattan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"THESE
Aasya Patel \u201926 had a Purposeful Work internship with Wolfe Research in New York City. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wolfe is a sell-side equity research firm, meaning it analyzes financial securities for trading. In her work, Patel used time-series methods, which elucidate patterns and trends over time, to forecast commodity stock indexes. She also conducted macroeconomic research on factors affecting returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patel\u2019s Bates coursework in time-series econometrics was particularly valuable, she said.. \u201cA shoutout to professors [Austin] Smith and [Daniel] Riera-Crichton for how well they covered these topics at Bates!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also had the opportunity to attend panels and presentations, teaching her \u201cvaluable skills in engaging with an audience, particularly in a finance context \u2014 an area I hadn’t previously encountered.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quote<\/strong>: \u201cPurposeful work is finding and exploring new interests and learning more about those interests through experienced professionals \u2014 in addition to learning from my mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018I definitely feel more connected to my major\u2019 \u2014 Hannah Burdick \u201925<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The place<\/strong>: Off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The job<\/strong>: Burdick, a biology major from Lyme, N.H., had a Bates-funded environmental internship on the West Coast with Ocean Rainforest, a sustainable aquaculture business. The company grows seaweed, which absorbs carbon and offers eco-friendly alternatives to plastics and fertilizers, among its climate-positive uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"student
Hannah Burdick ’25 had a Bates-funded environmental internship on the West Coast with Ocean Rainforest. (Courtesy Ocean Rainforest)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Half the week, Burdick was five miles off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif., working with colleagues at the company\u2019s off-shore research and development farm \u2014 the first of its kind \u2014 which grows kelp, a type of seaweed. \u201cWe measured kelp growth and water conditions, maintained the farm equipment, and helped partnering researchers with their studies,\u201d said Burdick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the other half, she was on shore doing lab research on various topics, including fermentation, where the kelp is broken down by microbes to produce useful and sustainable substances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Burdick, the half-and-half experience added up to 100 percent satisfaction. \u201cIt was the perfect balance for me \u2014 fresh air and time on the ocean as well as lab work that I\u2019ve worked so hard to learn at Bates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quote<\/strong>: \u201cI loved that the work I was doing went toward making food, fertilizers, and cosmetics more sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018It allowed me to see the direct impact of my work\u2019 \u2014 Johnny Nunez \u201926<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The place<\/strong>: HPS Investment Partners in New York City<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The job<\/strong>: Nunez, an economics major from New York City, had a Purposeful Work internship with HPS Investment Partners, a U.S.-based global investment firm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Economics
Johnny Nunez \u201926 had a Purposeful Work internship with HPS Investment Partners in New York City. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The internship gave Nunez experience in accounting including analyzing supplier invoices, maintaining management fee schedules, and reviewing unclaimed properties. Along the way, he started to identify his strengths and interests. \u201cI am particularly passionate about understanding and evaluating businesses, and I thrive in environments where I can solve problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along the way, the internship opened his eyes to the power of networking and building professional relationships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end, he appreciated \u201ceveryone’s extraordinary kindness and willingness to help.\u201d He looks forward to being able \u201cto help young professionals navigate their journeys just as I was helped.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quote<\/strong>: \u201cIt gave me a vivid sense of the work environment and projects I find most engaging and rewarding.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018I\u2019ve learned about the internal part of the art world, the business side\u2019 \u2014 Avery Lehman \u201925<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The place<\/strong>: Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York City<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The job<\/strong>: Until this summer\u2019s internship, Lehman, who is an accomplished photographer, only had experience with what she calls the \u201cexternal part of the photography world \u2014 making the art.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Avery
Avery Lehman \u201925 had a Purposeful Work internship with Yancey Richardson Gallery in New York City. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As a Purposeful Work intern, Lehman learned about \u201cthe internal part of the art world, the business side \u2014 what goes into planning an exhibition, what kind of correspondence needs to happen, what type of materials the work needs to be framed or glazed with.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The practical skills will come in handy as Lehman, a studio art major from Portsmouth, N.H., prepares to exhibit her work at the annual Senior Thesis Exhibition at the Bates Museum of Art in 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working with gallery founder Yancey Richardson was particularly meaningful, Lehman said. \u201cShe\u2019s really championed female photographers in such a male-dominated space of the art world.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quote: \u201cTo actually meet and connect with photographers I have studied or followed has been incredible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2018The members of the investment team were all great mentors\u2019 \u2014 Linh Hoang Vu \u201926<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The place<\/strong>: Promethos Capital in Boston, Mass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The job<\/strong>: Hoang Vu, a double major in mathematics and economics from Hanoi, and Drew Williams \u201925 worked as research interns at Promethos, an investment boutique focused on global equity investments founded by Joe Sylvester \u201990. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"two
Linh Hoang Vu \u201926 (left) and Drew Williams \u201925 had Purposeful Work internships at Promethos Capital in Boston. (Samuel Mironko ’21 for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Projects included research on the company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, a framework to assess an organization’s business practices and performance on sustainability and ethical issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The experience taught Williams, an environmental studies major from Guilford, Conn., \u201cthat you can bring your own morals and perspective into any work you are doing.\u201d Williams wrote a whitepaper that challenged her presumptions about an issue related to the oil and gas industry. \u201cThat was a unique and important growth experience,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quote<\/strong>: \u201cThis internship allowed me to think about environmental and social issues critically in the world of finance.\u201d \u2014 Williams<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"three
At Promethos Capital offices, Williams and Hoang Vu walk with Joe Sylvester \u201990, who is the firm’s founder, director of research, and managing partner. (Samuel Mironko ’21 for Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Part I of our photo stories about Bates students with college-supported summer experiences, we check in with eight students whose summer was spent somewhat far, and very far, from campus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104,"featured_media":165357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_hide_ai_chatbot":false,"_ai_chatbot_style":"","associated_faculty":[],"_Page_Specific_Css":"","_bates_restrict_mod":false,"_table_of_contents_display":false,"_table_of_contents_location":"","_table_of_contents_disableSticky":false,"_is_featured":false,"footnotes":"","_bates_seo_meta_description":"","_bates_seo_block_robots":false,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_id":165446,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_twitter_id":0,"_bates_seo_share_title":"","_bates_seo_canonical_overwrite":"","_bates_seo_twitter_template":""},"categories":[4,7,24,11012],"tags":[12356,12386],"class_list":["post-165222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-life","category-alumni","category-athletics","category-student-life","tag-center-for-purposeful-work","tag-summer-2024"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/104"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=165222"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":165448,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165222\/revisions\/165448"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=165222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=165222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=165222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}